Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart
by risaXrisa
Summary: One night after having dinner in the Great Hall, Harry is attacked and raped by one Gregory Goyle. What will happen when a certain professor shows up to rescue him? SS/HP and rated M for sexual content and language. Don't like don't read.
1. Chapter 1 That Night

**Chapter 1: That Night**

"Hey guys…" Harry stated to get his friend's attention, before he tiredly stretched his arms above his head, letting a suppressed yawn escape from behind his lips. "I think I'm gonna turn in for the night."

It had been a very long day for Gryffindor's Golden Boy, although it mainly consisted of stressful classes, immense studying sessions, and of course Quidditch practice. It had been quite hectic to say the least. So much so that he had barely even touched his food, which his friend Hermione was gracious enough to point out.

"Harry…you're going to get sick if you don't start eating properly." The curly-haired brunette stated matter-of-factly, a worried expression plastered on her face. Lately Harry was looking pale and a bit worse for wear, at least more than he usually did anyway. It was almost like when he returned to school from an unwanted summer with the Dursleys. It honestly was beginning to scare her a little.

"I'm fine, Hermione." He replied with a small reassuring smile, standing from his seat at the table as he gathered up his belongings. "I just don't have much on an appetite right now. That's all."

"If you say so." She said with an inquisitive look. "Just try to take it easy for a little while. I don't want you ending back up in the Hospital Wing."

"For the hundredth time, that is." Ron promptly added on with a quirky smile of his own, earning a grin from Harry, as well as an annoyed semi-glare from the female of the trio.

"Well then…I guess I'll be off. See you in the morning." Harry said, before throwing his book-bag over his shoulder. "Night."

After making his way out of the Great Hall, he began to head towards the Gryffindor Tower, letting out soft yawns along the way.

'_Man…I'm beat. Maybe Hermione is right.'_ Harry thought to himself, contemplating on whether or not he had come down with something, or if he was just simply exhausted.

Neville had just recently got over a cold, so the possibility that he had caught it was pretty high. Oh well. No point in worrying about it now. Besides, even if he was sick Harry could always go to Madame Pomfrey. Distracted by his thoughts, Harry failed to notice when someone started to tail him silently from behind. The stalker, however, was unable to stay hidden for long. A few moments later, just when Harry was a few feet away from the main staircase, he finally noticed a shadow other than his own creeping up on him. He turned around, assuming that Ron or Hermione had changed their minds, and decided to tag along. Although that thought didn't last long. Before he could even get a single word out everything suddenly went black…

~o*O*o~

'_Ngh…damn it all. Wha…what the hell happened?' _Harry mentally questioned himself, as he slowly started to come to, the black haze of unconsciousness fading away before his eyes. He was lying on his stomach, face pressed uncomfortably against the cold stone floor, his arms bound rather tightly behind his back. He winced slightly when a throbbing pain at the base of his skull started acting up, and blinked a few times, trying to get his vision back into focus. Even though he would've been unable to wield it in his current situation, Harry still glanced around for his wand. He managed to seat himself in an upright position, leaning back against a nearby wall for support. Taking a look at his surroundings, he instantly recognized that he was in the boy's lavatory on the third floor.

"Hello, Potter. Finally awake I see." A rather deep and raspy voice spoke.

There was no mistaking who that voice belonged to. Even so, it did catch Harry's attention rather quickly. Looking up, his eyes met the gaze of one Gregory Goyle, who was currently busying himself by twirling the young Potter's wand back and forth in his hand. The Slytherin boy smirked down at Harry with an almost sinister grin, his eyes filled with nothing short of malevolence. Harry's eyes narrowed, glaring daggers at the taller boy.

"What do you want, Goyle?" Harry asked, spitting out the question with as much sarcasm as he could muster up. "Wait let me guess…done stuffing your face, so you figured harassing me was the next best thing. You really need to get a hobby or something."

"Very funny, Potter…but no." The taller boy replied, before tossing Harry's wand across the lavatory, and pulling out his own to take its place. He pointed it directly at Harry, wearing the smuggest of expressions. "Actually I have something much better in store for you. Well…better for me anyway…_Evanesco_!"

Just as the spell left his lips, all of Harry's clothes suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving him stark-naked and vulnerable in front of the Slytherin boy. Harry's eyes widened in pure shock, and he quickly shut his legs together to hide the most private parts of his body. Chills made their way through his body, caused not only by the cold cement floor beneath his bare frame, but by the look Goyle was giving him as well. Harry was at a loss for words. It hadn't taken him long to realize what the repulsive boy had in mind. He would've had to have been a complete idiot not to figure it out. To say he was shocked, not to mention sickened, at the thought would've been a vast understatement. Although his eyes narrowed once again, fear was definitely evident on Harry's face, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

"You know…it really is your fault, Potter." Goyle stated gruffly, kneeling down to lean over Harry's smaller figure, nearly crushing the Gryffindor in the process. "Always flaunting your fame about…trying to making everyone else look so small."

Goyle smirked darkly, reaching down to grope Harry's most sensitive area with a single large hand, chuckling as the smaller boy tried to squirm out of his reach.

"But from the looks of it you're the small one aren't you, Potter?"

"Are you insane? What the hell is wrong with you?!" Harry exclaimed, thrashing about in an attempt to get away from the slimy git, although it was inevitable with the other boy's weight keeping him pinned down against the stone floor. "Let me go you fucking arse!"

Before he could add anything else to his protests, Goyle swiftly back handed Harry as hard as he possibly could, causing the smaller boy to let out a rather loud yelp. He chuckled at the Gryffindor's expense, taking a sadistic pleasure in seeing Harry's discomfort, as he began to stroke the smaller boy's member.

"I wouldn't even bother screaming, Potter. I've already placed a silencing charm on the lavatory. Besides…everyone's still in the Great Hall." Goyle murmured, leaning down to lick the shell of Harry's ear, before biting down painfully on the lobe. "But by all means…feel free to do so if you wish. Seeing the people I fuck in pain is quite a turn-on for me."

'_Oh, Merlin!'_ Harry thought frantically, as he desperately tried to free his arms, but to no avail. _'He's actually serious about this!'_

"Get off of me you fucking prat!" Harry shouted, not wanting to give Goyle the satisfaction of knowing how frightened he really was. "And stop touching me!"

Just as the Slytherin boy was about to press his lips to Harry's in an unwanted kiss, Harry leaned back and spat in Goyle's face. With a sneer, Goyle wiped the globule of spit away on back of his hand. He drew his fist back, and slammed it into Harry's face, knocking the boy's glasses off in one swift movement. Harry bit down on his tongue to keep himself from letting out another cry of pain, tiny beads of unshed tears forming at the corners of his eyes. A small trickle of blood made its way down his nose, and he was pretty sure it was now broken.

"Bad move, Potter. I was gonna take it easy on you, but now that you've pissed me off…" Goyle muttered, as he hastily unzipped his trousers, and freed his throbbing erection, one that seemed too big to belong to a boy of his age. "I'm really gonna make you scream."

"Fuck off!" Harry shouted with a glare, as he struggled against his bindings.

With a smirk of superiority, Goyle forced Harry onto his stomach, and crudely spat in his hand. Goyle ran it over his erection, quickly lubing it up, before he positioned himself in front of the Gryffindor's virgin entrance. Grasping the boy's hips roughly, and without even preparing him, he slammed his entire length into Harry, causing the boy to scream at the top of his lungs in agony. The pain was immense, and quickly spread like wild fire, burning his insides with each assaulting plunge that followed. No matter how hard he tried, Harry could not hold in the sounds of his torment as Goyle kept up a fast and violent pace, the sheer size of his cock shredding Harry open.

The Gryffindor continued to struggle, jerking and thrashing about as he tried to free his arms, while also attempting to get as far away from Goyle's cock as possible. But his attempts were futile, and he continued to scream out his pain. Tears soon began to fall down his face in torrents as Goyle continued, putting as much violence into the act as he could muster, and chuckling sadistically at Harry's shame.

"You're just a regular cock slut aren't you, Potter?" He asked with a evil smile, digging his fingers harder into Harry's hips.

The torture seemed to last an eternity to the emerald-eyed boy, and he could feel blood already pooling around his backside. Everything….every solitary movement was absolute torment, and he wept in shame and disgrace. When Goyle finally came to his climax, he let out a loud grunt, shooting his load into Harry. Just as Goyle was about to pull his flaccid cock from Harry's backside, the doors of the lavatory swung violently open, and in stepped a figure that Harry thought he would never be happy to see. A man clothed in black, with onyx eyes and hair to match.

"Professor Snape?!"

**A/N: Well I can certainly say it's good to be back and working on BMDIYH again. This revision is far better than the first two versions in my opinion. I do hope you all find this version to your liking as well. You will notice some slight changes, but that comes with rewriting I guess. This is really how I envisioned it from the start, so I'm happy that I was able to give it a new life of sorts. Please review, and let me know what you think. Reviews fuel my enthusiasm, and that leads to faster updates~! Chapter two will be out in the next week or two. Hopefully sooner rather than later. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and the story over the last three years. Yes…it's been three years since I first came up with the idea haha.**


	2. Chapter 2 Angel in Black

**Chapter 2: Angel in Black**

"Professor Snape?!" Goyle exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock as he removed his flaccid cock from Harry's torn and bleeding backside. He quickly scrambled to his feet, stuffing his member back into his trousers with haste, and took a few steps away from his recent victim.

Harry on the other hand was terribly dizzy; his head practically spinning from the pain that had been inflicted upon him. Every nerve ending felt as if it were on fire. However, even in his current state he could tell that the usually cold professor was highly disturbed by what he saw. Snape wore an expression that Harry never imagined he would see the potions master make, especially one that would be directed towards a Potter…sheer concern. But that expression did not last very long at all. Just as quickly as it appeared, it was replaced with pure resentment and vile disgust as his gaze drifted to the cowering Goyle. Snape stood to his full intimidating height, almost gliding as he strode over to the young Slytherin boy. His air of power, that demanded respect on regular daily basis, was increased ten-fold as he withdrew his wand from within the confines of his dark robes. To say that Goyle was frightened of the man would be a complete understatement on so many levels, especially if one could see how much sweat the slimy git was producing. It was one thing to take on a student around his own age, but it was an entirely different matter when going up against an adult wizard, especially one as skilled and harsh as Professor Snape.

Without so much as a word, Snape's wand flourished in his hand, as he silently casted the body freezing spell, or to be more precise the _Petrificus Totalus_ curse, on Goyle. The boy fell backwards instantly, frozen solid by the binding force of the spell. With a final glare in the young Slytherin's direction, Snape turned on a heel, quickly rushing over to Harry's aid. The boy had stopped crying for the time being, but his cheeks were still wet with recently shed tears. He removed the bindings from around Harry's wrists, before removing his outer robes, cloaking the young Gryffindor's naked trembling frame. Carefully, Snape took the green-eyed boy into his arms, his normally stoic features softening the tiniest bit. Harry looked up at the potions master, staring weakly into his black onyx eyes.

"Professor?" Harry questioned with a mumbled tone, his voice hoarse after all the screaming he had previously done. "Wha…what're you doing here?"

"Don't strain yourself, Potter." Snape protested, cautiously lifting the boy up bridal style in his arms.

"But, Sir-" The boy managed to get out before he suddenly blacked out from the pain, his body instantly limping in the older man's strong arms.

'_I'd better send word to Dumbledore.'_ Snape thought, before quickly sending off his patronus to relay the bitter message to the headmaster. No doubt he would inform Minerva of this incident as well.

The potions master looked down at the body in his arms, letting a look of pity appear on his face. Sure Potter had gotten into some rough patches over the years, but never had he seen the boy in so much pain. Severus could only imagine how agonizing it must've been, and he would be lying if he said he didn't feel sorry for the boy. He left the frozen Goyle lying in the lavatory, knowing that Dumbledore would take care of the brat soon enough. He hastily made his way down a few corridors, and up the main stairway that led to the Hospital Wing, not slowing his stride even for a fraction of a second. He was still in shock, not to mention appalled, by what he had just witnessed the ending of. It was infuriating. To know that one of his own students had stooped as low as this made him utterly disgusted. Just thinking about it made him want to punch the nearest wall. But he couldn't do that now. Harry needed medical attention, and fast.

Over the years Severus had protected the boy, even though the young Gryffindor was unaware of it, and honestly he preferred it that way. He was a very reserved man by nature, especially when it came to the matters of his personal life. That being said, he was quite irate with himself for not getting to the young Potter sooner than he had. Maybe then the boy would've been spared such torment. Before he realized it, Severus was standing outside the doors of the Hospital Wing, and he muttered a simple spell under his breath. The doors flew open swiftly with a rather loud creak.

"Poppy!" Snape called out, as he quickly made his way inside the doors. "I require your assistance!"

Madame Pomfrey immediately stepped out of her quarters, using her wand to brighten the candles in the spacious room. The light illuminated her grave expression as she walked over to her colleague, and led him over to one of the many empty beds.

"Oh Merlin, Severus!" She exclaimed, the tone of her voice tone overcome with evident worry. "What on earth happened?!"

"He was…raped." Snape replied with a reluctantly sharp tone, not directed at her of course. He cautiously laid Harry onto his stomach, clad only in Severus' outer robes. Just as he said this, Professor Dumbledore, as well as Professor McGonagall, walked through the doors of the Hospital Wing. Both wore grim expressions as they walked over to Harry's bedside to stand along with Severus.

"How is Harry?" Dumbledore asked after Madame Pomfrey removed Snape's cloak from Harry's body, parting the boy's cheeks carefully to better examine his backside. It was bleeding profusely, and was obviously very badly damaged. Severus felt his stomach churn as he eyed the torn shreds that had become Harry's passage.

"Well…he's been ripped rather severely." Poppy replied, as she pulled out her wand. "But it's nothing I can't fix."

Two sighs of relief came from Dumbledore and McGonagall. Even the potions master let out a mental sigh of his own at the news. With swiftness, Poppy began to direct warm healing spells towards the injured boy's abused rectum, and after a few moments of silence Severus spoke up.

"What of Goyle?" He asked, turning his gaze to the aged headmaster.

"Mr. Goyle been retrieved from the lavatory." Dumbledore replied with a sad tone to his usually cheerful voice. "He is waiting in my office under the watch of Argus."

A few minutes later, when Madame Pomfrey was finished, she clothed Harry in a simple white nightshirt, before tucking him into bed. Minerva placed the young Gryffindor's glasses on the nightstand, having previously picked them up from the lavatory floor.

"That's all I can do for now." Poppy stated, dimming the lights with her wand. "He'll definitely be sore for the next few days, but physically he'll recover just fine. I suggest we leave him be for now. He deserves a good long rest."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement, pulling what looked to be Harry's wand from the inner confines of his robes, and placed it alongside Harry's glasses on the nightstand.

"Come, Severus. We have some unfinished business to attend to." Dumbledore stated, before turning his gaze to Professor McGonagall. "Minerva…please send word to Mr. Goyle's parents, and inform them of the current situation."

Minerva gave a curt nod, before quickly leaving the Hospital Wing, her robes flowing around her feet as she did so. Dumbledore and Severus followed for a short time, but made a different turn, heading towards the headmaster's office. Snape knew what was coming. He and Albus would have to set a punishment for Gregory Goyle's actions. Personally Severus couldn't wait to get his hands on the little snake. The boy would be expelled, there was no doubt in his mind about that, and it wasn't going to be pretty. Once they made it to Dumbledore's office, the elder of the two stood aside, letting Severus enter the room first. And he do so, albeit rather violently. Goyle flinched, startled when the door slammed open, and recoiled slightly off the stone wall. The headmaster stood beside his desk, whilst Snape strode over to the boy, leaning down to sneer directly in the boy's face. His onyx eyes seemed to peer through the brat's cruel soul. Too frightened to meet the professor's gaze, Goyle focused his attention on his lap.

"How DARE you?!" Severus spat venomously with a voice that could curd dairy, earning a petrified look from Goyle who sunk further into the chair he sat in. "Tonight you have disgraced the ENTIRE house of Slytherin with your abominable actions! Did you honestly think you would get away with this?! I ought to-"

"Severus, please calm down." Dumbledore said with a tranquil tone to his voice, urging Severus to cool himself down. Snape took a deep quiet breath, and stood straight once again, his shadow cascading over the young Slytherin. "Mr. Goyle…you were caught in the act of raping Harry James Potter." The headmaster continued, the usually cheery glint gone from his eyes.

"I didn't RAPE him. I FUCKED him." Goyle interrupted, narrowing his eyes at the old wizard. He was frightened by Snape, that much was certain, but he refused to be intimated by the old coot. "And he liked it too the little faggot."

Severus quickly smacked Goyle upside the head with a loud thwack, using this action to restrain himself from actually pulling out his wand, and hexing the brat into oblivion. He clenched a fist at his side, mentally scolding himself for getting so riled up by the impudent little gutter snipe.

"Mr. Goyle…" Dumbledore drawled out grimly, his eyes completely void of the glint they usually held. "As punishment for your recent actions you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts from this moment on. You're parents are being notified as we speak, and your wand is to be snapped upon their arrival."

"I don't believe this punishment is nearly adequate enough…" Severus commented, glaring down his nose at the boy. "Although…I AM quite certain your parents will guarantee a penance far more deserving. I can only imagine what they will think."

The headmaster's gaze drifted over to Argus Filch who stood in the shadows of the office.

"Argus, please continue to keep watch over Mr. Goyle." Dumbledore stated to which Filch simply nodded his head in response. "And Severus…follow me if you will?"

The potions master promptly followed the elder wizard out of the office to stand just outside its doors. Now that they were in a somewhat private setting, Snape was quick to speak first.

"Headmaster, I-"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Dumbledore interrupted, somehow knowing what the potions master was about to say. It was funny how he was able to do that on a regular basis, if not a bit scary. "It wasn't your fault, so don't start blaming yourself. You cannot be expected to control another's actions, Severus."

"I know…but I can't help but feel responsible. If I had gotten there sooner none of this would've happened." Severus replied, his face unknowingly showing remorse, as his gaze drifted to the floor. "I'm the one who is supposed to watch over him."

Reaching out, Dumbledore placed a hand on the other man's shoulder. "There are things in this world we cannot control or change, Severus…no matter how bad they may be. What does matter is how we move forward, and the choices we make along the way."

After a moment of silence, Snape blinked and reluctantly gave a quick nod of his head. The older man was right. Somehow he always was, even if it did get annoying at times.

"Now…why don't you head back to your quarters and get some sleep, hmm? I'll finish up things here." The headmaster suggested, motioning with a gesture of his hand.

"Yes, Headmaster." Severus replied, before heading down the spiraled staircase, and down to his private quarters located in the deepest part of the dungeons.

After whispering the password, he passed through the portrait door, and was quick to shed his outer layers of clothing, leaving him clad in his black trousers, white shirt, and black waist coat. He elegantly collapsed in one of his arm chairs. Thankfully the fireplace was still ablaze, the glow illuminating his sharp features. He summoned up a glass of fire whiskey, and downed the contents in one gulp, hoping that it would help to calm his irate and stressful nerves. Needless to say Severus would soon find out that sleep wouldn't be his friend that night.

**A/N: Well here you go. Chapter two is finished, albeit a tad sooner than expected haha. Just keep in mind that in the future some chapters may not come out as fast as this one did, although I'll be sure to update at least once every two weeks. Also I decided to rename the story to it's original title, just to clear things up if you're confused. And pretty please be sure to keep those reviews coming, and let me know what you think. And keep an eye out for Chapter three. Later all you awesome people. Until the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3 An Unexpected Shoulder

**Chapter 3: An Unexpected Shoulder **

The following morning Harry woke to the rays of early sunlight peeking through the windows of the Hospital Wing. The light hit his face with gentle warmth, causing his eyes to squint open ever so slightly. He sat upright in the bed, and was quick to realize that his backside was extremely sore as a surge of pain coursed throughout the lower half of his body. Wincing at the unpleasant feeling, Harry reached for his glasses as he normally would, and placed them on the bridge of his nose. As his eyesight adjusted, he immediately knew where he was, having been there plenty of times over the years. Sitting next to him were his two closest friends. Ron and Hermione both let out an apparent sigh of relief at the sight of Harry waking up.

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed, pulling Harry into one of her suffocating sisterly embraces. "We've been so worried about you!"

"Ron…Hermione?" Harry questioned, a slightly puzzled look appearing on his face as the female of their trio released him from the hug. "How long have you two been here?"

"Since early this morning. We would've come last night after Professor McGonagall told us where you were, but she wouldn't let us." Ron answered with a sympathetic smile, giving his friend a quick once-over. He expected to find some sort of visible wound on Harry's body, but when he didn't he continued on. "She said you needed to rest for a while. What on earth happened to you, Mate?"

Harry looked off to the side in an attempt to avoid the ginger's gaze, and noticed the black robes that rested neatly across the end of the bed. There was only one person who they could have belonged to. Seeing them must have jarred his memory, because the images from the previous night suddenly flashed into Harry's mind. Ghastly images of being viciously raped by Goyle, and of everything else that had occurred. Even the part of Snape coming to his rescue just before he blacked out. His face was frozen in thought, his eyes wide and full of fear. He felt a wave of nausea overcome him, and he had to force himself not to throw up. Chills began to flow up and down his spine, as his friends gave him concerned glances. He was at a complete loss for words.

'_I…I can't tell them. I just can't.'_ Harry thought to himself, a pained expression evident on his face. _'Not yet.'_

Harry remained silent, not sure of how to respond. He knew, for a fact, that if he spoke they would notice a tremor in his voice. That would only make them worry more, and he'd already put them through enough of that. That was when a deep, yet also smooth, voice interrupted his train of thought.

"And why exactly are you two still here?" Snape questioned with a single cocked eyebrow, as the three students turned their gazes upon him. Harry let out a quiet sigh of relief, a fact that went unnoticed by Hermione and Ron, but not the esteemed potions master. "Morning classes have already begun. I suggest you both get moving."

"But, Professor…Harry-"

"Seems to be doing perfectly well, Miss Granger." The potions master quickly interjected, sneering down his nose at the girl in question. "Now get to class before I decide to start deducting points from your house."

"Yes, Professor." Ron and Hermione responded in unison, whispering their silent goodbyes to Harry, before leaving him alone with Snape in the Hospital Wing.

Harry remained silent, unsure of what to say to the man who had come to his aid the previous night. He was even more tongue-tied than he had been with his two dearest friends if that was even possible. Although, that really shouldn't have come as a shock. All Harry could manage to do was sit and wait anxiously for the man to speak, his mind wandering to the worst possible of outcomes, as he nibbled on his lower lip. He could only imagine what the professor was thinking, and that made him all the more nervous. Harry's thoughts were suddenly cut short by the simplest of questions.

"How are you feeling this morning, Potter?"

Harry blinked in slight confusion, not quite sure if he was hearing things correctly. Did Snape really just ask him how he was feeling? Severus Snape, the man who seemed to loath the Potter name more than Voldemort despised muggles, was actually showing concern for him? To say Harry was shocked would've been a massive understatement, although he desperately tried not to show his surprise, not wanting to offend the older man. It took him a minute to find his voice, but he managed to answer the question nevertheless.

"A bit sore to be honest." Harry replied with a slight shrug, trying to put up a strong front for the potions master. "But I'll live."

"I see." Snape murmured, his usual scowl softening to a blank expression at the civility the young Potter was showing. "I suppose that is to be expected."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a good minute or two, although it felt like hours to Harry. He shifted anxiously under the blankets, before he decided to break the quietness with a question of his own.

"I don't mean to sound rude, Professor…but why exactly are you here?" Harry asked, assuming that the man had only come back for his forgotten robes.

Severus' thoughts, on the other hand, went back to earlier that morning upon hearing the boy's question…

"_**Albus, I really don't think it would be appropriate for me to-"**_

"_**Oh nonsense, Severus." The headmaster interrupted with fluid gesture of his hand. "You were the one who came to his aid. So naturally you will also be the one Harry trusts most during his recovery. Now…I would like you to go check up on him. If my instincts are correct Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley should be there as well. Please send them off to their classes if you will."**_

_**Before replying Severus let out a mental sigh, being very aware of the fact that he was being ordered around. "Yes, Headmaster."**_

'_How can Dumbledore even fathom the thought? Potter…confiding in ME of all people?_ _The notion is positively ridiculous.'_ Severus thought to himself in disbelief, before answering the young Gryffindor's question.

"Professor Dumbledore sent me to check in on you."

"Ah." Harry murmured in response, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice, although he wasn't sure why it was there to begin with. "Well I guess I should get ready then."

"Ready?" Severus asked, cocking an eyebrow in curiosity. "Ready for what exactly?"

"Class of course." Harry replied with a forced smile. "Don't wanna miss any more than need be. If I leave now I'll just be a little late for Herbology."

Harry quickly pushed the blankets aside, and slid out of bed, his bare feet touching the cold cement floor. However he wasn't prepared when another surge of pain went throughout his lower body. Suddenly his legs gave out beneath him without warning. Luckily Snape had caught him just in time, managing to keep the smaller boy upright quite easily.

"Don't be daft, Potter!" Severus spoke, his tone littered with its usual sarcasm. "Really…I shouldn't have to point out the fact that you are still-"

Snape's voice suddenly got caught in his throat when he noticed that the young Potter had started sobbing into the front of his robes, clinging to them as if his life depended on it. So …the boy had only been putting up a façade before? Severus wasn't surprised. The boy had been through a traumatic ordeal after all. It was only natural for his walls to crumble at some point. As the seconds passed, Harry's cries grew louder, his green eyes over flooding with tears of pent up misery. Snape would be lying if he said this woeful outburst didn't make his heart pang with guilt.

"I-I…I'm sorry, Sir!" Harry managed to get out in between incoherent sobs, trying the best he could to keep his legs from buckling under his weight once again.

Harry refused to look up at the black-haired professor, fearing that he would see disgust or disapproval in those black onyx eyes. Severus shocked himself when he suddenly wrapped his arms around the young boy, mentally scolding himself for his uncharacteristic sentimentality on the matter. Holding the boy in his arms, he sat on the edge of the bed with the Gryffindor by his side, knowing that Harry shouldn't be on his feet quite yet. He surprised himself yet again when he began to rub an elegant hand in small circles on the boy's upper back. Severus had never been one for consoling others, aside from Lily when they were children, but he figured this action would calm the young Potter down. At least enough to get him to stop crying anyway.

It seemed to be doing the trick, and eventually the young Gryffindor's tears subsided into small hiccups, causing Snape to let out a mental sigh. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he had comforted someone like this, and he thought back to a time when he had been a student, and Lily had come crying to him about something he couldn't quite recall. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a soft tug on his robes, which were now dampened by the boy's tears.

"Sorry." Harry murmured softly, still keeping his gaze away from the older man's eyes as he pulled back from the embrace. "Thanks."

His eyes still glistened from the formerly shed tears, his nose and cheeks tinged with a pink hue. He was absolutely mortified with embarrassment. Why did he break down in front of this man instead of Ron or Hermione? Why of all people Snape? Reaching up, he wiped away the remaining tears on the back of his sleeve.

Severus simply gave the boy a silent nod in response. He could tell that the boy's gratitude was indeed sincere by the tone of his voice. He was never one to show sentiment towards anything, or anyone for that matter, so this little incident had surprised himself just as much as it had Harry. It just wasn't becoming of a Snape, not to mention the fact he had his reputation to withhold. Adverting his eyes, Severus was quick to notice the robes he had forgotten the night before. He stood from the bed and retrieved them, before looking down at the boy.

"I suggest you stay in bed for the remainder of the day." Severus stated, leaving no room for argument. "I expect Dumbledore will visit you sometime this evening. Until then just get some rest."

The stoic professor quickly turned on a heel, and headed for the doors of the Hospital Wing, pausing for a brief moment when he heard Harry's voice speak up.

"Thank you…for last night I mean." Harry said with a grateful expression.

Severus inclined his head briefly, before he finally left, his long black robes billowing behind him. After the doors shut closed, Harry carefully crawled back under the covers, pulling them up to his chin as he nestled back into bed. Crying always had a way of making him sleepy, and this time was no exception. Although, before he fell asleep he couldn't help but think of the potions master in a different light. Maybe he wasn't such an ass after all.

**A/N: Woots! Chapter three is finished, and just barely before the two week marker. Phew. Anway, I've gotten a few questions about how the situation with Goyle was handled, so I'll do my best to explain. To put it simply Gregory Goyle is still underage. Albus, although being a powerful wizard and Headmaster, he is not authorized to send Goyle off the Azkaban pending a trial. That is for the authorities to take care of. It's not in his jurisdiction. Legally all he can do is let the authorities know about what happened ((which he has done just to clear that matter up)), and expel Gregory from Hogwarts. The authorities have been notified of his actions. Now, although Goyle's parents are disgusted and appalled by their son's actions, they are not about to let him get thrown into prison, and smear the family name. They will do everything in their power to keep him out of prison, although they will be punishing him severely in the privacy of their own home. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Ministry of Magic has already been infiltrated by Voldemort's followers. Of course it's obvious that the Goyles will pay handsomely to keep this matter hidden, while also using their influence of power. Not to mention the fact that Harry would prefer to keep these things quiet as well. I hope this helped clear everything up a bit. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please keep sending in those reviews. I eat them up like cotton candy. **


	4. Chapter 4 It's Complicated

**Chapter 4: It's Complicated **

When Harry woke for the second time that day it was much later on in the evening, and he was certain that all classes had been over with for quite some time. He sat up in the bed, finding that his pain had subsided if only a little bit, and placed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He let his eyesight adjust by blinking a few times, the haziness of sleep deteriorating into nothing almost instantly. Noticing a clean change of school robes, he slowly began to dress himself to keep from hurting too bad. Harry had just finished when he took notice of Madame Pomfrey making her way over to stand beside his bed, a soft concerned smile apparent on her aged features. Harry forced himself not to frown, if only to keep the Mediwitch's worries about him at bay.

"I see you've finally decided to join the living." She said as she pulled out her wand, and casted a few examination charms over his body as he sat on the edge of the bed, their warmth putting him somewhat at ease. "Still sore I take it?"

"A little." Harry replied, keeping his own gaze from meeting hers. He was quite aware that she knew exactly what had happened the night before, and Harry just couldn't find the courage to face the pity he knew would be evident in her eyes. "But I'm feeling much better than I did earli-"

The sound of Harry's hungry stomach growling interrupted his train of thought, and was instantly followed by a very familiar chuckle that echoed throughout the Hospital Wing. Harry looked towards the entranceway, only to find that Headmaster Dumbledore had just walked through the doors.

"It would seem you are ready for dinner, yes?" Dumbledore asked in a casual fashion as he sauntered over to Harry's bedside, earning a stiff smile from the young Gryffindor in return.

"Yes, Sir." Harry answered with a curt nod, proceeding to stand carefully from his bed. Suddenly a thought made its way to the forefront of his mind, making the boy very uneasy. "What about Goyle, Professor?"

"Long since gone. His parents came to collect him last night. He won't be returning to Hogwarts." The aged headmaster replied, the usual cheery glint in his eyes now gone. "Now…I think it's time you head down to the Great Hall. That is…if you feel up to it? I could always arrange to have a meal brought up for you instead?"

"No thank you. I'm sure I can manage."

"Are you certain?"

"Of course, Sir." The boy replied with yet another fake smile.

"Well, if you insist. I trust you will actually eat something this time around." Dumbledore added, with an underlying tone of concern.

"Yes, Professor."

Harry bid the old wizard a quick goodbye as he finally took his leave of the Hospital Wing…

~o*O*o~

'_How am I going to explain what happened to Ron and Hermione? Thanks to Professor Snape I got out of it this morning, but they've probably learned that Goyle was expelled by now.'_ Harry thought anxiously as he made his way down to the Great Hall, walking slowing due to persistent soreness of his backside. He let out a long sigh.

It was bad enough he got those looks of pity from the few teachers that actually knew about what happened. He wouldn't be able to take it if his friends did the same. He couldn't tell them. Not right now anyway. Silently, he began to follow behind a small group of gossiping first year Hufflepuffs as they made their way into the Great Hall, and quickly, but carefully, sat in his usual place at the Gryffindor table beside Ron. Hermione of course sat across from them.

"Well, speak of the devil! Look who's finally come back." Ron stated, before stuffing his face with a buttered roll, grinning over at his best friend.

"How are feeling, Harry?" Hermione questioned with a soft, worried expression, mixed with a bit of relief at seeing the boy out of the Hospital Wing.

"Better of course!" The red-head added as he patted the recovering Harry on the back, earning a stifled smile in return. "Do you really think Madame Pomfrey would've let 'em out if he wasn't?"

"I'm fine, Hermione. Really." Harry lied, more to himself than to his female friend, but in doing so he was able to ease the girl's worry if only a bit.

His growling stomach urged him to grab a plate, and he began to fill it with small amounts of food. To be honest he didn't feel like eating at all. The thought of eating anything was starting to make him nauseous. But he knew he had to at least eat a decent amount. Wanting to just get the meal over with, he quickly began to scarf down everything on his plate.

"Whoa…slow down, Mate. If you start eatin' like that-" Fred stated, nudging Harry with his elbow.

"People are gonna think you've turned in to Ron." George promptly added with a smug grin as he finished the sentence for his ginger twin. The two turned their gazed in the direction of their younger brother.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean exactly?" Ron exclaimed after taking a swig of pumpkin juice from his goblet, causing the entire group to laugh all in good fun at his expense. Aside from Harry that is. He had only managed a small forced chuckle.

Harry was quick to notice when the potions master passed by, the older man making his way up to the staff table in a gliding stride. His long dark robes billowing around his feet. Severus sat down in his usual seat, his ever present scowl plastered on his features. About ten minutes into dinner he got the distinct impression that someone was watching him. And sure enough, when his gaze lifted his eyes quickly met Potter's own emerald ones, and he arched an eyebrow in slight puzzlement. Realizing he had been caught, Harry instantly turned his line of vision back to his plate, a soft, almost unnoticeable, pink tint rising slowly to his cheeks.

'_Was I starring?'_ Harry questioned himself, and continued on with his dinner as if nothing had happened. _'It's not like I meant to, but still…'_

After the trio had finished they made their way back up to Gryffindor Tower, following a few of their fellow classmates along the way. Once there, they each took a seat in front of the fireplace. Ron made himself comfortable on the floor, while the other two sat on the small couch. The conversation began with the ginger ranting about how Snape had assigned him three feet of parchment, due the next day, on the preparation of liquid luck. Hermione, on the other hand, was quite proud with herself for doing extremely well on Flitwick's exam. Harry listened with quiet content to the conversation, more than happy to be with his two best friends rather than being cooped-up in the Hospital Wing. As if the previous night didn't happen at all. And that was when Hermione ask the one question he had been dreading to hear.

"Harry…why were you in the Hospital Wing?" She asked rather bluntly, but with pure concern in her voice.

"That's right. You never got the chance to tell us." Ron added on with a question of his own. "So?"

"It was nothing." Harry quickly replied, looking away from their gazes, and into the fireplace that stood in front of them.

"Everyone in the school knows that Goyle was expelled last night." Hermione continued on, trying to get Harry to spill whatever it was he was hiding.

"Can we please drop the subject?!" Harry practically snapped, but apologized quickly, before he continue on, letting out a reluctant sigh. "Sorry, but please…I'd really rather not talk about, okay?"

He hated the fact that he was hiding this incident from his two closest friends, knowing full well that he could talk to them about anything. But this time was different, and for now he really just wanted to forget it all.

"Alright, Harry." Hermione said with a soft reassuring smile, letting him that she harbored no hard feelings. "Just know that if you decide you do want to talk we'll be here to listen."

"Till the bitter end." Ron added with a curt nod, and the classic Weasley smile.

"Thanks guys." The dark-haired boy replied as he stood from the couch, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn, and a slight wince of pain. "I think I'm gonna head up to bed. You coming, Ron?"

"Nah…I'm not that tired yet. I'll be up in a little bit though."

"Okay then. Night you guys."

"Goodnight, Harry."

With that said Harry left the common room and made his way up to the boys' dorm room. After shedding his daily attire, he crawled under the covers of his bed and looked up at the canopy. Beams of moonlight shone through the windows, its light streaming across the room. Any other time he would've appreciated its subtle beauty, but not tonight. Even though he had slept most of the day and previous night away, Harry suddenly began to feel completely exhausted. It wasn't much longer before he drifted off to sleep…

~o*O*o~

Severus was still taking his sweet time eating, even after most of the student body left for bed. Now there were only a few scarce teachers, and even fewer students left in the Great Hall. He was usually the first teacher, as well as the first person period, to leave after quickly finishing his dinner. But he had been so lost in thought that he didn't seem to notice the time fly by until he heard the all too familiar voice of Albus Dumbledore.

"Is there something on your mind, Severus?" Dumbledore questioned, slight curiosity hinted in the undertones of his voice. "You almost never stay thing long for dinner."

"It's nothing of importance." Severus replied as if nothing were wrong.

Anyone else would never have noticed with the man's cold exterior, but then again Dumbledore wasn't just anyone. He knew the potions master better than anyone else. Anyone who was still alive anyway. But just to give Severus the satisfaction, he let it go.

"Whatever you say, Severus." Albus said kindly. "Have a good night."

"Goodnight, Headmaster." Severus said as Dumbledore took his leave.

Somehow the old wizard never ceased to amaze him. Not that Snape would ever admit it out loud. Albus always knew when something was on his mind. Not that he was wrong. The night before Severus had barely managed to get a few hours of sleep, his dreams haunted by images of a broken Harry, crying out as Goyle ruthlessly raped him. But he couldn't do anything besides watch, even when Lily began to plead with him to save her son with tears streaming down her face. Just thinking about it enraged him, and he clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles began to turn white. Of course, he had taken his rage out on the incompetent students he was forced to teach that day, resulting in a total of twenty-three detentions, massive point deductions for all houses besides Slytherin, as well as long essay assignments for any student who got on his nerves. Severus let out a hidden sigh, and stood from his seat at the head table, making his way quickly down to the dungeons where his private quarters awaited him. Maybe brewing a few potions would help clear his mind. He whispered the password to the portrait that guarded his quarters, and stepped inside.

'_Perhaps I'll brew a pain potion. Merlin knows Potter is still sore…even after Poppy's help.'_

Shedding his outer robes, and throwing them over the back of the couch, he made his way into his personal lab. He gathered all the necessary ingredients, as well as a small cauldron, and began the relatively simple task of brewing a simple pain-relief potion he created a few years back. It was far superior to any of the brews the Hospital Wing had in stock. Of course those hadn't been made by his skilled hands. All in all it took him a total of thirty-seven minutes to finish it. Pulling out several glass vials from a nearby cupboard, he carefully filled each one before putting the stoppers in, and labeling them. After storing all but one of the vials in a small wooden box, he held up the single vial to the light, absentmindedly examining the bright purple brew.

"You are such a hassle, Potter."

**A/N: Phew…right at the two week marker haha. Sorry it took a little longer than usual, but I'm determined to keep my promise to you lovely readers about updating at least once every two weeks. But I see that I'm going to have to go more in depth with the whole Goyle incident. I am quite aware of Dumbledore's position as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. That may be, but for the final time Goyle is UNDERAGED. He will face a far graver sentence for his crimes against Harry once he reaches adult hood, and just to keep people from asking the same questions yes…he WILL be sent to Azkaban when that time comes. I won't specify how that comes about just yet. I would also like to point out that this IS still a slight AU, taking place during the Half-Blood Prince. Not every single detail is going to be EXACTLY the same. That's why it's called an AU. For the sake of this story I'm changing up a few things. Snape will stay alive, Dumbledore will die although I won't say how or when, Sirius is still alive, but those are all that I will name for the time being. Now that that's done with…how are you all enjoying the story so far? I'd really love to know what you think. Please keep those reviews coming in, and I hope you liked the chapter. Til next time.**


	5. Chapter 5 Subtle Comfort

**Chapter 5: Subtle Comfort **

Nearly bounding out of bed, Harry met the following morning with an extremely rough start. His body was rigid as he sat up, beads of sweat making their way down his figure, causing his clothes to stick to every inch of skin they managed to cover. His breath came out in short quick pants, and he ran a trembling hand through his now sweaty mop of hair. He had dreamt of what happened. Of what Goyle viciously did to his body. It had all played so clearly through his mind that he thought it was real for a moment as he struggled to fully wake up. Bringing his arms up, he embraced himself, seemingly trying to force the shivers out of his body. After a few moments he managed to calm his breathing down, and the tremors ceased. Harry reached over to the nightstand to grab his glasses, and placed them on his face.

Looking out the window he could tell he had woken quite earlier than usual, knowing fully well that it due to all the sleep he had gotten the previous day. He quietly gathered a clean change of school robes, making his way to the bathroom where he proceeded to do his morning rituals, and took a quick shower to rid himself of the night sweat he acquired. Not long after he made his way down to the empty common room, and turned his gaze to an old grandfather clock that stood by the fireplace. He let out a sigh. It was currently five o'clock. Classes didn't start until nine, and the Great Hall wouldn't open for breakfast until seven. After a short mental debate, he decided to take an early morning stroll around the grounds, and stepped through the portrait hole. There were a few scarce students walking about the castle, but he paid them no attention as he made his way out of the castle at an easy pace.

Harry took a moment to look over his surroundings, loosing himself for a moment in the beauty of the rising sun, and the variety of colors that painted the early morning sky. He was able to forget about everything that had happened to him for that brief moment, only to have the memories crash over him once again not a second later. Outwardly he looked as if he was only having a bad day, but on the inside he was honestly and emotional wreck. Harry just wanted to forget it all, and desperately hoped that his mask of false ease wouldn't falter in front of anyone. He couldn't help but think of how his nightmare had ended right before he had woken up, of Snape holding him in a comforting embrace, making him feel almost at peace for a short moment.

After absentmindedly walking around the grounds for about thirty minutes, Harry decided to take a rest, nestling himself on the ground beneath a rather large oak tree overlooking the Black Lake. Before long he was so lost in thought that he began to grow mentally tired, and soon nodded off as he haphazardly glanced over the view before him. He must have been sitting there for a good hour and a half before a smooth dark voice woke him from his cat nap.

"Potter?"

"Huh?" Harry answered tiredly, looking up to find Professor Snape standing above him with a slightly puzzled look on his face. "Oh, Professor. Um…good morning."

"What are you doing out here?" Snape inquired, arching his signature eyebrow.

"Well…I kind of woke up early, so I decided to take a walk." Harry answered as he stood, wiping the dirt and leaves from his robes. "Didn't think I'd fall asleep though."

"Hmm…I see."

"What about you?"

"Excuse me?" Snape asked, giving the slightest sneer at the formality the younger male showed.

"Sorry, Sir." Harry quickly apologized with a small smile, realizing his mistake almost instantly. "I was just wondering why you were out here so early."

"I don't believe that is any of your concern, Potter." Snape replied, looking down at the younger boy as he reached into the pockets of his robes. "But seeing as you're here I might as well give you this now."

He quickly placed a small glass vial, filled with a bright purple liquid, into one of Harry's hands. The younger looked questioningly down at the vial, and then back to the potions master who promptly rolled his eyes.

"It's a pain-relief potion." The older man answered the silent question. "One sip every two to four hours. It's from my own personal stores, and much more effective than the brews the infirmary has in stock, so do try to resist drinking it all in one day."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Sir." Harry replied with a sincere smile of gratitude, before pocketing the vial.

"I suggest you get going. It's almost time for the Great Hall to serve breakfast."

Harry nodded. "I'll see you later in class, Sir." The young Gryffindor said with a slight wave, before leaving the spot under the oak tree, slowly disappearing from Severus' line of sight.

Severus, on the other hand, couldn't help but roll his eyes at the young Potter, and relaxed a little, knowing that he was now alone.

"Children." Severus muttered to himself, before letting the smallest of smirks appear on his face.

**A/N: Phew…right at the two week marker again. Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but is does have some fluffy interaction between Severus and Harry. Real life's being a pain in the arse at the moment. But I will continue to keep my promise to you lovely readers about updating at least once every two weeks. I'd really love to know what you think. Please keep those reviews coming in, and I hope you liked the chapter. Til next time.**


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